Chicago Heights, Illinois crematory shut down after bodies are found in trailers
A south suburban Chicago crematory has shut down as Illinois state investigators obtain how the remains of deceased people are being handled there.
Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights is accused of mishandling the bodies of people who recently died. The crematory agreed to shut down its operations during the probe by the Illinois Comptroller's office, which regulates the cremation industry.
Heights has agreed to not accept any more bodies during the investigation, which started in mid-February.
Meanwhile, CBS News Chicago obtained photos from inside a trailer where bodies were being stored. The trailer is located on the property belonging to Heights, and the photos show deceased people partially wrapped in sheets or clear plastic bags, with their faces and body parts sticking out.
CBS News Chicago also found bodies in bags moved from another trailer on the site, and there are questions about storage areas without proper refrigeration at the business.
Families typically send those they lost to a funeral home and the funeral home then sends the remains to a crematory. Families would be unaware of the crematory's conditions.
Heights Crematory operator Clark Morgan refused the opportunity to look at the photos or comment when contacted by the CBS News Chicago Investigators.
The state Comptroller's office is looking into Heights' handling of the remains of people who recently died. The disturbing pictures obtained by CBS show the conditions of how some bodies were kept. Out of respect for the deceased and their families, CBS blurred some of these images for television.
Families typically send those they lost to a funeral home and the funeral home then sends the remains to a crematory. Families would be unaware of the crematory's conditions.
The Comptroller's office, in a statement to CBS News Chicago, said its investigators have been onsite at Heights Crematory inspecting and monitoring the facility.
The Comptroller's office also said: "The owners have agreed to take on no new cases/clients pending the outcome of this investigation. The investigation could lead to penalties up to $5,000 for each violation and possible revocation of its crematory license."
According to the state, during the voluntary shutdown, Heights is being allowed to cremate the remaining bodies it has in its inventory — but only with daily oversight of state regulators.
The company has had past financial problems too. A background check shows millions of dollars in multiple federal and state tax liens, which includes a $1.8 million lean by the Internal Revenue Service from 2023.
Meanwhile, this CBS News Chicago investigation uncovered that another crematory, Crown Cremations in Indiana, has been sending remains across state lines to the Heights Crematory. Crown Cremations is now too are being questioned by Illinois regulators who are investigating the business relationship between the two companies and Crown Cremations' use of a trailer on Heights property to store bodies of deceased people from Indiana without an Illinois license.
Crown Cremations is run by Richard Sallie of Crown Point, Indiana. A lawyer representing Sallie, Jim Clement, said after learning of the CBS News Chicago investigation, "Crown Cremations is disappointed to hear these things and has severed their relationship with Heights Crematory," and is "cooperating with investigators."
